


The Potter's Wheel

by HASA_Archivist



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Action, War of the Ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2011-06-09
Packaged: 2018-03-28 17:52:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3864174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HASA_Archivist/pseuds/HASA_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabbles written for the LiveJournal tolkien_weekly "Potter's Wheel" challenge. Snapshots of battle and its aftermath during the War of the Ring.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Deadly Accuracy

For the LiveJournal tolkien_weekly "Potter's Wheel - Throw" challenge.

**Deadly Accuracy**

**  
**

Scrabbling like cockroaches, black waves of orcs attempt to gain the Hornburg's outer wall. Bow singing, Legolas mentally counts down his quiver;  _three… two…_ Beside him Gimli's axe greets a snarling assailant,  toppling him forward across the wall.

As his last arrow flies, Legolas sees Aragorn weaving along the battlements towards them – and behind him a great Uruk clambering on to the parapet. Without time to shout he whips round, snatches a black blade from the belt of Gimli's slumped victim, hurls it –

Aragorn looks from the Uruk, sprawled with the knife between his eyes, to the Elf.

"Nice throw."


	2. A Foe Ahead, Behind Us Dread

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note from the HASA Transition Team: This story was originally archived at [HASA](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Henneth_Ann%C3%BBn_Story_Archive), which closed in February 2015. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in February 2015. We posted announcements about the move, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this author, please contact The HASA Transition Team using the e-mail address on the [HASA collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hasa/profile).

For the LiveJournal tolkien_weekly "Potter's Wheel: Slip" challenge.

**A Foe Ahead, Behind Us Dread**

**  
**

Breathing hard as they reach a starlit clearing north of the Forest Road, scuttling swollen horror evaded behind them, the two Elves exchange shaky smiles of relief.

"I think – we lost it..."

"No thanks to you," Taurlaegel gasps. "You need – to get quicker – on the draw!"

"And _you_ to shoot straighter," his companion retorts. "I swear that one was horse-sized! Did you see those horrible pale eyes? And the _legs_..."

"Your Father'll – be livid if he catches us – what'd he say last time? 'Reckless young idiots'?"

Legolas punches his shoulder, grins.

"Then better hope we can give _him_ the slip!"


	3. Brothers in Arms

For the LiveJournal tolkien_weekly "Potter's Wheel: Mould" challenge.

**Brothers in Arms**

  
Aragorn and Eomer meet amid the Pelennor's carnage, breathing hard, and clasp arms; smiling grimly as comrades do who have much death yet to deal ere the day's won. Rohan's King gestures down the field. There, in the front rank - his quiver spent - Legolas is at knife-work; Gimli guards his flank, great axe steadily hacking the legs from under any who threaten to get past the Elf's dancing white blade.

"I thought -" Eomer gasps - "legend said - perpetual enmity and mistrust between their peoples?"

Aragorn chuckles wearily.

"My friend, when the One had finished making those two, he broke the mould."


	4. Flashback: Before the Black Gate, Third Age 3019

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this drabble turned out to be the companion piece to [this one](/stories/chapter_view.cfm?stid=3981&spordinal=15)...

For the LiveJournal tolkien_weekly "Potter's Wheel: Coil" challenge.

**Author's note:** this drabble turned out to be the companion piece to [this one](http://astele.co.uk/stories/chapter_view.cfm?stid=3981&spordinal=15)...

**Flashback: Before the Black Gate, Third Age 3019**

**  
**

Standing near the ash-hill's summit to shoot clear over the Armies of the West, gazing toward the Black Gate, Legolas feels the tendrils of the past reaching out, beginning to twine and coil about him:

_This is the place. Here Grandfather, Father, Greenwood's army stood; here so many fell, far from leaf or grass or any living thing save the foul spawn of Mordor…_

Deep breath; arrow to the string. Below him he glimpses the Dwarf's solid bulk among the tall Gondorrim. _Which of us will score the higher count today?_ But neither, he suspects, will live to claim it.


	5. Remembrance

For the LiveJournal tolkien_weekly "Potter's Wheel: Ghost" challenge.

**Remembrance**

**  
**

Sitting on a fallen boulder, Gimli waits. At the bare summit, surrounded by scarred outlines of deep pits, Legolas kneels, head bowed.  
  
 _What does he hear?_ the Dwarf wonders. _His comrades' souls are surely all escaped to their Mandos… is it the ghosts of memory, or guilt, he seeks to lay?_  
  
At last Legolas rises, stands a long moment, then turns; tear-tracks visible on his face.  
  
"Will there be stone or cairn," Gimli asks tentatively, "to mark their passing?"  
  
"We need none," Legolas replies grimly. "Not while one Wood-elf remains in Middle-earth will we forget what happened at Dol Guldur."


End file.
